Avalanches are unlikely anywhere a hard crust is on the snow surface. Assess for small, isolated wind slabs if you venture into steep terrain in the high alpine.
Small wind slabs may exist in steep, alpine terrain for areas that received 10 cm or more of recent snow. Assess for the bond of this snow to the underlying crust before entering high-consequence terrain.
Many small wet loose and slab avalanches were observed during warm weather over the past few days. They've been observed on all aspects and elevations.
Looking forward, avalanche activity is unlikely anywhere a thick and hard crust is on the snow surface. Assess for wind slabs in steep terrain if you find new snow in your riding area. Travel safely near cornices and limit exposure on sun-exposed slopes if the snow is slushy.
Anywhere from a dusting to 10 cm of snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust. Strong northerly wind may form isolated wind slabs. The snow surface may melt on sun-exposed slopes and at lower elevations during the heat of the day.
Numerous hard crusts are found in the top half of the snowpack. In the high alpine near Invermere, a layer of weak facets may persist above one of these crusts, found 30 to 80 cm deep.
The snowpack continues to melt below treeline.
Thursday Night
Cloudy then clearing. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 40 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Friday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Daytime freezing level rising to 1600 m.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds with isolated flurries. 1 cm of snow. 20 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Daytime freezing level rising to 1700 m.
Sunday
Cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Daytime freezing level rising to 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
